Holder for towels and other articles



Filed May 15, 1958 INVENTOR N/u/AM 0. D/l/LEY Patented Oct. 31, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOLDER FOR TOWELS AND OTHER ARTICLES William 0. Dailey, Portland, Oreg. Application May 13, 1938, Serial No. 201,740 4 Claims. (Cl. 24-255) The primary object of this invention is to provide a holder for conveniently supporting various types of articles, particularly such articles as face, bath, and kitchen towels, ladies and men's stockings, pot-holders, and wash cloths.

Another important object of the invention is to provde a holder which may be used to facilitate the drying of several articles at once and, at the same time, allowing the aeration of the articles being dried.

Among other objects of the invention is that of providing a holder which is simple but durable in construction, reliable and handy to use, inexpensive, occupying little space, and unobtrusive when in place, decorative and attractive in its external appearance and which may be made into various sizes to accommodate different requirements.

Other objects and advantages will undoubtedly come to mind as the detailed description which follows unfolds itself. The description must be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which illustrates but one embodiment by which the invention may be realized, although it is possible to employ the same underlying principles in other embodiments incorporating slight ly different contoursand structural characteristics to easily adapt the invention, without material changes therein, for holding neckties, belts, and other articles not heretofore referred to.

In the accompanying drawing, in which the same reference characters are uniformly, employed to designate the same parts throughout:

Figure 1 is a perspective side elevation of a pair of holders embodying the invention, showing a fragment of a fabric suspended therefrom;

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of a holder embodying the invention and shows its structural characteristics;

Figure 3 is a sectional, end view, taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2 looking in the direction indicated, but proportionately enlarged for convenience oi description;

Figure 4 is a top, plan view of the holder with the top member removed to show the position of the spring members; and

Figure 5 is a plan view of the metal blank employed to form the main frame of the holder.

To construct a holder embodying the principles of the invention, a metallic plate, generally designated by reference character A, is blanked out from a strip of sheet material, thereby providing the peripheral contours shown in Figure 5. It will be observed from this figure that the me-,- tallic plate A has three long cutouts at one end, as shown at I, 2, and 3 and small cutouts at the other end, as shown at l, 5, and G. Cutouts 2 and 5 have their bases V-shaped as shown at l and 8 respectively. Supporting legs 9 and III are formed between cutouts I, 2, and 3. These supporting legsare apertured, as shown at I I and I2 respectively, for the purpose of permitting screws,

nails, or other securing means to enter therein.

A plurality of elongated slots l3 are formed within the plate'A and are positioned transversely relative thereto in spaced parallel relationship 10 with each other and have their ends rounded, as shown at H. The figures in the drawing all have three slots l3 formed as described. However, the number of slots may be increased or decreased as the metallic plate A is increased or decreased'in length, depending, of course, upon the use to which the holder is intended to be put.

After the metallic plate A has been blanked to incorporate the cutouts, apertures, and slots referred to, it is ready to be formed into a supporting frame for the holding members. Side flanges l5 and I6 are formed by bending the plate A downwardly along dotted lines I1 and i8 respectively and assume the shape shown in the other figures of the drawing. The supporting legs and III are also bent downwardly but along the dotted line l9, assuming the position shown best in Figures 3 and 4. At the same time, not only are the legs 9 and I0 crimped as shown at and 2| respectively along dotted lines 1 of cutout 2, butthe end having cutouts 4, 5, and 6 is also crimped on dotted line 24 as wellas the sides of the V-shaped base 8 of cutout 5. Therefore, when the metallic plate A is bent along the formed in metallic plate A a plurality of beads 3| are formed in that portion of the plate which eventually forms side wall 21. -A like number of beads 32 also are formed in that portion of the plate which eventually forms side wall 28. These beads 3| and 32 are disposed in direct alignment with each other so that, when the metallic plate 1 is bent along the dotted lines 25 and 26 to form side walls 21 and 28 respectively, the beads 3| and 32 coincide and come closely together as shown in Figure 3 and provide a support for the spring holding-members hereafter to be fully described. The method of forming the metallic plate A into the holding frame has been outlined in rather full detail. However, the sequence of steps taken and the method employed in forming the metallic 22 and 23 respectively and the sides of the v-shaped portion plate A into the frame of the holder should not be deemed as limitational because the frame may be formed by the employment of any other step sequence or method without deviating from the principles .of the invention.

The side walls I1 and II are spaced apart and have a common rounded base II and form a channel II therebetween into which the spring holding-members not yet described are. placed. When the metallic plate A is bent along the dotted lines II and II to form sides I! and II, the slots II become open-ended and fingers II are formed between these open-ended slots.

A plurality of spring holding-members or clips, generally designated by reference character B, are inserted-within the channel II and are positioned therein as shown in Figure 2. Each of the spring holding-members B are identical in construction. Consequently, the detailed description of one will sumce for all. Each of the spring holding-members B is bell or pear-shaped in its general contours and consists of a unita spring element having shanks II and II converging toyard each other and meeting at a common curve II. The opposite portions of shanks I4 and II curve inwardly toward each other, as shown at I! and II respectively and end in straight end portions II and II which are in direct alignment with each other, but do not touch. The straight end portions II and II of each of the spring holding-members B are seated upon the base II formed between the side walls 21 and II, and the curved portion II extends slightly above the beads II and II as best shown in Figures 2 and 3. This completes the detailed description of the spring holding-members B. It is now essential to explain the position which the spring holdingmembers B assume in relation to each other and to the frame formed by the metallic plate A. When the spring holding-members B are placed inside of the channel II as shown in Figure 2, it will be observed that the shank II of the spring holding-member B shown at the extreme left of Figure 2 and the shank II of the spring holdingmember B directly to the right of it contact each other at their curved portions II and I1 respectively and a substantial portion of their respective shanks II and II project into and are confined in the slot II, thus forming between them jaws II. An identical relationship is assumed between the confronting shanks of the other spring holding-members B and thus there are formed other jaws II confined within the remaining slots II. The curvatures provided in the shanks affords easy access to the Jaws II, whenever it is desired to insert an article between the jaws. The slots are wide enough to permit the insertion therein of an article made of thick material and, since the holding-members B are made of spring material and the straight end portions II and II of each of the spring holding-members B are spaced from each other and, therefore, have freedom for lateral movement, it is possible to press an article of substantial thickness between the jaws because they will yield in opposite directions and continue to grip the material. Articles ofverythinmaterialmayalsobeinsertedbetween the laws because the confronting shanks which form the jaws II are normally under spring tension and in contact with each other.

After the spring holding-members B are in serted into channel II and placed in position as heretofore related, a top member, generally designated by reference character C, is snugly fitted over the side flanges II and II. The length of thetopisequaltothelengthofthesidewalisll and II and has downwardly extending sides II and II. Extending inwardly from side walls II and II are flanges 44 and II respectively. Thus there is formed between the top II, of top member C and flanges II and II a pair of channels the height of which Is apwoximately equal to the thickness of the side flanges II and II. The construction of the top member C is such that, when it is fitted over the flanges II and II, the side walls I! and II are brought suiiiciently closer to allow beads II and II almost to touch. This is advisable to insure against the spring holdingmembers B leaving their respective positions in channel II as the heads, when in the position as stated, provide a top anchorage for the spring holding-members B. While the width of the channel I'I provided between the side walls II and II is normally slightly greater than the diameter of the material from which the spring holding-members B are constructed in order that the spring holding-members may be easily inserted therein prior to placing the top member C inposition, it is essential that the top member C,

when engaged to the frame as stated, hold the side walls I! and II close enough together to allow Just sufficient freedom to the shanks of the spring holding-members to move laterally whenever necessary. The top member is clinched on so that it may not be removed without some effort, but it can be removed whenever it is desired to replace one or all of the spring holdingmembers B. This describes in detail the construction employed in making a holder embodying the principles of the invention. In use the legs I and II are secured to a wall or any other support so that the holder is held horizontally and at right angles to the support to which it is secured. If it is desired to suspend articles so that they may be easily aerated and dried, a pair of holders embodying the invention may be employed, as shown in Figure 1. In this figure an article, such as a towel 41, is pressed between the jaws II of each holder as shown. It may be observed, of

course, that there is room for additional articles each other. Whenever it is desired to remove an article from the holder, a slight downward pull releases it from the jaws.

From the foregoing description, it will undoubtedly appear that the invention as described satisfies the objects and points out the advantages claimed for this invention. While the invention has been described in connection with a specific embodiment, it should be understood that variants thereof are possible to those skilled in the art. The invention, therefore, in its broader aspect, is not limited to the specific construction herein shown and described, since changes and alterations may be made in the proportions and arrangements of the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and upon which I desire to secure Letters Patent is:

l. A holder of the class described, comprising a plate bent upon itself to form a frame with two parallelly disposed walls providing a channel therebetween, said frame having an open-ended slot disposed downwardlythereirom, a pair of legs extending in opposite directions from one end of said frame adapted for securing said II frame to a support, and a pair of yieldably mounted holding members confined within said channel and partially projecting into said slot, the portions of said holding members which project into the slot forming jaws for gripping articles inserted into said slot.

2. A holder of the class described, comprising a plate bent upon itself to form a frame with two parallelly disposed walls providing a channel therebetween, said frame having an open-ended slot disposed downwardly therefrom, a pair of legs extending in opposite directions from one end of said frame adapted for securing said frame to a support, a pair of yieldably mounted holding members confined within said channel and partially projecting into said slot, the portions of said holding members which project into said slot forming jaws for gripping articles inserted into said slot, and means for retaining said holding members in relatively fixed relation with each other and with the frame.

3. A holder of the class described, comprising a plate bent upon itself to form a frame with two parallelly disposed walls providing a channel therebetween, said frame having an open-ended slot disposed downwardly therefrom, a pair of legs extending in opposite directions from one end adapted for securing said frame to a support, a pair of yieldably mounted holding members confined within said channel and projecting into said slot, the portions of said holding members which project into the slot forming jaws for gripping any article inserted into said slot, means for anchoring said holding members in said frame, and a top member secured to the free ends of the walls adapted to close said channel, to hold the 1 walls securely together and to prevent the displacement of the holding members from their normal operating positions.

4. A holder of the class described, comprising a slotted plate formed and adapted for securing longitudinally to a support, said plate bent upon itself to form a frame with two parallelly disposed walls, a pair of spring holding-members positioned between said walls and arranged therein to permit a portion of each of said spring holding-members to project into said slot, said partially projected spring holding-members coinciding and cooperating with each other to form jaws for gripping articles inserted into said slot, pairs of beads formed in the walls of said frame in direction alignment with each other adapted to anchor said-spring holding-members, and a top secured to the free ends of said walls adapted to retain said spring holding-members in anchored position, but permitting the yielding of said jaws in opposite direction upon the application of pressure thereupon.

WILLIAMO. DAILEY. 3o 

